Schroeder, Powell Meet to Stress Common Grounds

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, May 17, 2003

Schroeder, Powell Meet to Stress Common Grounds

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell pledged Friday in Berlin that the two countries would work together on issues of common concern.

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German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell pledged Friday in Berlin that the two countries would work together on issues of common concern.

Speaking to reporters following a half-an-hour meeting, Powell and Schroeder said they had held "deep" and "candid" talks and have put the differences between their two countries behind them.

"There have been differences in the past, but we will stand together," said Powell, who is wrapping up a tour of the Middle East and Europe with the stop in Berlin.

"We talked about the disagreement in the past and seriousness of that disagreement," he said, referring to the two nations' serious disputes over the war against Iraq.

Powell added that Germany and the United States were "friends and allies" and had to look to the future.

Schroeder promised that Germany was willing to help the United States in lifting the UN sanctions on Iraq, a key goal Washingtonis seeking to achieve at present.

Before the meeting, Powell said that if Germany votes in favor of the new US resolution on lifting sanctions against Iraq at the Security Council, it could be a "possible start" to normalization of tense relations between the two countries.

"One way to get started is to begin cooperation on such issues as the UN resolution," he said.

The two also discussed Germany's presence in Kabul, the capitalof Afghanistan, as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Powell praised the work of German troops there. Schroeder said he would consider US calls to expand the zone of peacekeepers in Afghanistan, which remains unstable more than a year after the Taliban was removed from power.

Germany currently has 2,500 soldiers stationed in Kabul and leads the ISAF along with the Netherlands.

Powell's visit here is the first by a high-ranking US official since the two traditional allies drifted apart over the US-led waron Iraq.

Berlin is on the highest security alert during Powell's visit, which will conclude early Friday evening. More than 1,000 police officers have been called for duty and police snipers were seen around the hotel where Powell stays.

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